Gasoline-tank-cap lock



GASOLINE TANK CAP LOCK Filed May 12; 192

INVENTOR wrrmsss; ATTORNEY rotates duly as, its. 1

untrue :srArEs V 1,637,279 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. ROBERTS, OF BUTTE, MONTANL eAsoLmamnx-cn 'LOGK.

Application flied Kay 12,

This invention relates to closures, par-- tlcularly to caps designed for use in connec' tion with the gasoline tank of automobiles, motor-boats, aeroplanes or the like, and has a for its object the provision of a" cap provided with novel locking means whereby removal of the cap by. an unauthorized person will be prevented, the device consequentlyacting as a great means for discouraging or no preventing theft of automobiles inasmuch as after the gasoline supply has been exhausted it will be impossible to replenish the supply without unlocking or breaking ofi the cap and in the latter instance the attendant at it a service station or other place where the gasoline is purchased will be apprised of the fact that there is something wrong and that the car is probably stolen, so that he Zylillf notify the police and apprehend the 7 An important and more specific object is the provision of a device of this character which can be released onl by means of a suitable key of peculiar the owner or other proper authorized per son. Y

Another object is to provide a device of this character so constructed and arranged that in order to apply the capita is merely necessary that it he telescoped upon the ill ing neck oi a tank or other device, the looking means acting automatically to engage in operative position and prevent removal oi the cap except by use of the proper key.

An additional object is'to provide a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to ap-' ply and use, positive in action, eficient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of constructiono and the arrangement and combination of elements to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan; view of the devlce partly broken away and in section to' illustrate the action, this viewbeing taken from the side of a tank looking toward the filling neck.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through the filling neck with the cap appl ed, and- Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing the use of a key for efiecting unlocking.

esign carried by 1920. Serial no. am.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates a portion of a gasoline tank or the like having a filling neck B which, as is well known. is ordinarily either externally or internally threaded and provided with some sort of closure cap. In carrying out the present invention. the usual .capis discarded and replaced by a cap 10 which may be constructed of any suitable material and in any desired size, depending upon the diameter of the filling openin' or neck to be closed. The cap 10 is inten edto be telescopically engaged upon the filling neck B and for this reason it is unthreaded but is provided with a depending flange portion 11,80 as to be telescopically engaged upon the filling neck in closely embracing relation thereto. The cap is also provided with an inner depending fiange. 12 which fits within the neck B as clearly indicated.

Formed at the center of the cap and depending therefrom is a guide sleeve portion 13 within. which is rotatably mounted a stem 14: having limited rotary movement, the extent of movement being governed by a pin 15 or the like operating within a slot.

16 in the sleeve. The stem 14 carries a transverse member 17 which has its end portion formed with slots 18 within which are engaged pins 19 carried by spaced parallel but oppositely extending latch members 20 adapted tobe projected into engagement be neath the inner surface of the tank A at the neck or filling opening B. A coil spring 21 is provided and suitably anchored at one end and having its other end connected with the transverse member 17 for the purpose of normally urging this member 17 into such position that the latches 20 will be extended into operative position. At their undersides the latch members 20 are beveled or inclined at the ends, as shown at 22 so that when the latch members are in their normal or extended position and the cap 10 is placed upon the filling neck simply by pressing it thereupon, the inclined surfaces of the latch members will cause them to be automatically retracted so that the device may be placed. in position. Ubviously, when the cap is placed in position, and the latch members passed through the bottom'of the filling neck, they will spring outwardly under the influence of the spring 21 and enlike? gage beneath the underside of the tank A.

ill

of a suitable hey for shooting retraction of the latch devices 20 so that the cap may be removed, and in Figure 3, it have disclosed a hey 23 Which is represented as having a certain shaped end adapted to be engag-ed Within a socket 25 in the upper end off the stem it, this stem of course termina ing Within the recess provided in the guide or sleeve 13 and not extending to the top of the cap.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will be apparent that l have thus provided a very simply constructed and inexpensive cap locking means whereby it may be held upon a gasoline tank or the lilre and be prevented from removal except by an authorized person or exce t b breakin it. However a brolren y b 3 cap would indicate that there is something wrong and a service man or other person dispensing gasoline to a motorist having a brolren cap on his tank would be supposed to notify the police of the fact. Clearly, the device will. act as a prevention of theft and should therefore be of material benefit to the motoring public, lt is thought that the construction, operation and advantages Will be readily apparent to one skilled in the Without further explanation.

While l have sheen and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that T. reserve the right to malre such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will neonate not depart from the s irit of the invention or the scope of the su joined claim.

Having thus described the invention, ll claim A closure cap for a tank opening, the opening having an upstanding flange thereabout, comprising a body member of circular form having a depending inner flange portion adapted to be telescopically engaged Within the filling opening and having an outer depending fla-nge portion concentric with and spaced from the inner flange portion and adapted to telescopically engage about said first named flange said inner flange having transverse guide openings therethrough, latch bolts slidably mounted through said openings and having their outer ends normally projecting beyond the first named flange and beveled at their lower sides, a bearing member located at the center of the cap, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted Within said bearing member, an arm se cured to said cylindrical member and having its ends formed with elongated slots,

pins carried by said latch members and slid-- ably received Within said slots, a spring con nected with said arm and normally holding the same in position with said latch bars extended, key operated means for rotating said cylindrical member, and means for limiting the rotation of said cylindrical member in both directions In testimony whereof I afin my signature,

CHARLES A. nonnnrs. 

